McGruder Named Top 30 Candidate For Naismith Award

Kansas State guard Rodney McGruder (22) gets past Oklahoma forward Amath M'Baye (22) to put up a shot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, in Manhattan, Kan. Kansas State won the game 69-60. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas State's Rodney McGruder (22) gets a shot off over Southern Miss defender Jonathan Mills during the first half of an East Regional NCAA tournament second-round college basketball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, March 15, 2012. McGruder was the leading scorer in a 70-64 Kansas State win. ( AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

COLUMBIA, MO - FEBRUARY 21: Rodney McGruder #22 of the Kansas State Wildcats shoots over Matt Pressey #3 of the Missouri Tigers during the game on February 21, 2012 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Kansas State guard Rodney McGruder (22) and Angel Rodriguez react to a teammate's score in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Howard, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in Manhattan, Kan. Kansas State won 82-46. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Senior Rodney McGruder was named one of 30 candidates for the 2013 Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year Award presented by AT&T and the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Tuesday.

McGruder becomes third Wildcat to be selected as a Top 30 candidate for the Naismith Award, joining Michael Beasley (2008) and Jacob Pullen (2010). He is one of four Big 12 players named to the 2013 list, along with Kansas’ Ben McLemore and Jeff Withey and Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart.

The top 30 candidates were selected by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances to this point in the 2012-13 season. In late March, the Naismith Trophy voting academy will narrow down the list to four finalists. The Naismith Player of the Year will be awarded on April 7 in Atlanta. The Atlanta Tipoff Club has presented the award every year since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor won it in 1969.

K-State fans will have the opportunity to vote for McGruder and help determine the Naismith winner when voting begins on Monday, March 25. For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.

McGruder leads the 13th-ranked Wildcats (23-5, 12-3 Big 12) in six categories, including scoring (14.8 ppg.), double-digit scoring games (21), 20-point games (eight), field goals (155), rebounding (5.4 rpg.) and minutes (32.2 mpg.). He is connecting on 44.3 percent (155-of-350) of his field goals, including 34 percent (38-of-113) from 3-point range, while knocking down 75.9 percent (66-of-87) of his free throw attempts. He is averaging 15.7 points in Big 12 play on 47.5 percent shooting (84-of-177), including 39.1 percent (27-of-69) from 3-point range, to go with 5.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 34.1 minutes per game. Four times he has been named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week, winning the honor on Dec. 10 and 24, 2012 and Jan. 7 and 21.

McGruder ranks in the Top 20 in five Big 12 categories, including field goals (1st), scoring (6th), minutes (8th), field goal percentage (14th) and rebounding (20th). He ranks sixth in scoring in Big 12-only games, while he is sixth in free throw percentage and minutes, eighth in 3-point field goal percentage, ninth in field goal percentage, 11th in steals, 12th in 3-point field goals made and offensive rebounds and 20th in rebounding.

With the win over Texas Tech on Feb. 25, McGruder, along with fellow seniors Jordan Henriquez and Martavious Irving, became the winningest senior class in school history with their 97th victory. The team, which has won 20 or more games in seven consecutive seasons, also earned its 12th league win for the first time in the Big 12 era and the first time since the 1972-73 season. The seniors will attempt to become just the second class in school history to advance to the NCAA Tournament in four consecutive seasons.

No. 13/13 Kansas State remains in a tie with No. 6/5 Kansas (24-4) for first place in the Big 12 standings with just three games left in the regular season. The Wildcats begin the month of March in Waco, Texas to take on the Baylor Bears (16-11, 7-7 Big 12) on Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.

K-State will celebrate the accomplishments of its three-man senior class in its final home game on Tuesday, March 5 against TCU at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available through the K-State Athletics Ticket Office and can be purchased online at www.kstatesports.com/tickets and by phone at (800) 221.CATS.

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